Frederick H. Burkhardt (1912-2007)
--

Friends,
 
I am sorry to report that Fred Burkhardt died September 23, 2007, following a
serious illness, at the age of 95. 
 
Fred did his graduate work in philosophy at Columbia, writing a dissertation on
(and translation of) J. G. Herder.  After teaching at the University of
Wisconsin, Fred served with the OSS in World War II, after which he returned to
teaching.  He then turned to administration, serving as President of Bennington
College, and president of the American Council of Learned Societies, starting in
1957.  Fred retained that position until 1974, developing the ACLS's programs,
financial stability, and robust relationships with the academic world.  He was
an Honorary Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University (2003) and received an
honorary LL.D. from Columbia University in 1974.
 
On the scholarly front, Fred worked on two projects of tremendous significance
over many years, as General Editor of the ACLS-supported edition of The Works of
William James, and as co-editor of the Charles Darwin Correspondence from the
mid 1970s through the present. 
 
Fred Burkhardt was the prime mover in launching the Darwin Correspondence
project, and stayed active in the management and scholarship of the project
through this year.  In this he made a monumental contribution to the study of
the history of biology.
 
Saul Fisher
Director of Fellowship Programs
American Council of Learned Societies

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